Area denial systems generally include a plurality of lethal or non-lethal munitions that can be deployed as a defensive system to deny access to terrain, to focus or direct enemy movement, reduce enemy morale, or to accomplish other various tactical objectives. In addition, certain area denial systems can be deeply deployed into enemy territory, quickly placed in front of moving formations of enemy units, or quickly deployed for other purposes via artillery scatterable and aircraft scatterable munitions.
As referred to herein, the term munitions includes various devices, apparatuses, and the like that include explosive ordinance or a weapon system that is designed for targeting enemy personnel, vehicles, tanks, aircraft, ships, or the like. As such, munitions can include various land based or water based weapon systems designed to detonate or otherwise engage a target when a target is in range. In addition, the term munition includes various air based devices, such as drones, air based vehicles, or the like. For example, munitions could include the various devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,108,713; 9,187,184; and 9,211,947; in U.S. Design Pat. D461,159; and in U.S. Patent Publications 2015/0203201; 2016/0185445; 2016/0347476; and 2017/0021945. These patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Known munition systems, such as the M-7 Spider and the XM1100 Scorpion, include a plurality of networked munitions, sensors, and communication devices. Once these systems are deployed, a human operator at a remotely located control station can choose to fire one or more of the munitions, for example in response to feedback from the sensors that indicates the presence of an enemy target. Networking elements for remote control of sensors and other devices, such as munitions, is well known in the art. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,832,244; 8,836,503; 8,812,654; 7,305,467; and 5,489,909, each incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Modern area denial systems which utilize anti-personnel munitions are generally configured for “human in the loop” operation of the anti-personnel munitions, requiring human authorization of fire commands for the munitions in the system. In addition, known area denial systems which utilize anti-vehicle munitions generally include human in the loop operated anti-personnel munitions to make removal of the anti-vehicle munitions more difficult.
However, proper execution of an area denial system utilizing human in the loop configured munitions can be difficult, requiring proper set up and consideration of various technical issues that are necessitated by long range remote control of the networked sensors and munitions. As such, an area denial system that improves or resolves those technical issues, and/or improves the efficiency of area denial systems utilizing human in the loop operated munitions would be well received.